Sei Young Kim experienced victory early in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

But a missed opportunity in her most recent tournament will provide much of her motivation when she tees off in the final round of the Lotte Championship on Saturday.

Kim picked up her first career LPGA Tour win in a playoff at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic in February and had a three-shot lead going into the final round at the ANA Inspiration two weeks ago. She finished with a 3-over-par 75 on that Sunday to slip into a tie for fourth at the season’s first major, and the sting remained fresh on her trip to Hawaii.

"The fact that I didn’t win that tournament is giving me a lot of motivation," Kim said through a translator after signing for a 2-under 70 on Friday that gave her a one-shot lead entering the final round at Ko Olina Golf Club.

"If I win tomorrow … the first point that I will point to is the fact that I didn’t win (at ANA)."

On a day when the wind stifled big moves on the leaderboard, Kim stayed steady early and endured a roller-coaster back nine to end the third round at 12 under for the tournament. She’ll tee off in the final group at 12:05 p.m. one shot ahead of third-round co-leader I.K. Kim and just two clear of Inbee Park.

The trio from Korea will play together for a second straight day with Park, the world’s third-ranked player, seeking her first Lotte title after coming close the past two years and I.K. Kim in pursuit of her first win since 2010.

"Today was a tough day," Park said. "It was probably the most wind out of the three days.

"I think overall our group was really good. We all played really good golf just trying to follow each other, trying to keep up with them."

Jenny Shin maintained contact with the lead group with her second consecutive 70 to move to 8 under, with Chella Choi another shot back.

Of Saturday’s final group, Park has by far the most experience in a trophy presentation. The former World No. 1 won the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore in March for her 13th career victory and led the group on Friday with a 3-under 69, one of just four rounds in the 60s yielded by Ko Olina.

I.K. Kim kept pace despite "hitting the ball kind of everywhere" early in the round and moved into a tie for the lead with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 before a bogey on the closing hole dropped her behind Sei Young Kim.

"I was struggling, but kind of getting around. I’m happy with how I finished," Kim said. "Just one behind … so yeah it’s going to be exciting."

Defending champion Michelle Wie began Friday’s play tied for eighth and stayed there with a 1-over 73. She’ll be eight shots out of the lead when she starts her round at 11:29 a.m. Saturday.

She alternated bogeys and birdies three times to hold her position in the standings but couldn’t put together a sustained move at the leaders.

"It was one of those days. It’s so windy, bogeys will come, unfortunately, but you just have to come back with birdie and I feel that’s what I did great today, just never give up and always try to move forward," she said.

Sei Young Kim has maintained her forward momentum throughout her week at Ko Olina.

She played the front nine on Friday at 2 under before a bogey on No. 10 sent her on an undulating tour of the back. Birdies on Nos. 11 and 13 gave her a three-shot cushion at 13 under. But she followed with bogey on the par-5 14th and negated a birdie on 16 with her third bogey on 17.

"I think overall I didn’t have the really good feel for my shots today," Kim said. "Started to get better as the round went on, but my putting wasn’t working too well. Overall it was a pretty tough round."

She has four top-10s already this season to shoot up to 19th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and is fourth in the Race to the CME Globe. After posting red numbers through her first three rounds this week, her focus on Saturday will be finishing.

"I’m going to try to do the same thing I’ve done the past three days here and try to enjoy the round," she said. "I think I’m going to be able to come out with a different outcome tomorrow."

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